Authoresses' Note: Yay! Reviews make me happy. And yes, I am definitely using the manga as a reference point. Therefore, Akito is a girl – with boobies and everything. Oh, I also strongly support the coupling of Yuki and Machi! And yes, I'm kind of ADD in relation to my attention on the many couples in this story. Sorry!


Chapter Four of Flowers in Snow: Catch the Falling Seeds


When Kyo arrived, Akito was sitting on Tohru's bed. Tohru was kneeling, gathering her belongings. The sight was such a shock – like something out of a nightmare, actually – that for a good long moment, all Kyo could do was stand and stare.

Akito glanced over, a smirk slowly possessing his expression. "Cat got your tongue, Kyo?"

At those words, Tohru stopped what she was doing with her school books and assorted clothes. "Kyo?"

Her eyes were wide as she looked up at him. How many times had he seen those precise eyes been overcome by tears? He was sure that it was too many. If Akito had done anything to make her cry, he would…

…do nothing.

Suddenly, he realized that he'd run up there without thinking clearly, or at least thoroughly. Akito was possessive, and Kyo could still remember last summer, at the beach house. At the idea that Kyo harbored feelings for Tohru, Akito had become infuriated:

"A monster in love with a monster?"

If I'm too obvious about protecting her, thought Kyo, every muscle in him feeling weak and helpless, He'll take it as a personal attack, and an excuse to hurt her even more. The whole subtle tactic thing was definitely more for Yuki and Shigure. But if Tohru was involved, there was no question that Kyo was willing to go the extra mile.

Tohru looked back at her belongings. "I'm just switching rooms."

"Let me help you with that stuff." Kyo said. "It'll go quicker that way."

Akito leaned back on the pillow, watching them with narrowed eyes. To an observer, it might have seemed that he was sleeping, but neither Kyo nor Tohru occupied themselves with that particular delusion.


Snow had swallowed everything. In the calm following the storm that was the tag-team duo of Kakeru and Mimi (the two of them were nonstop, consistently agitating Nao and himself for their own amusement), Yuki gazed out the window, lost in thought. After all this time, it still felt slightly surreal that he was Class President.

Coming out of his thoughtful reverie, he realized that he needed to get home. He'd promised to help Tohru with studying for math and history, and he had to at least check the garden. Besides, as much as they frustrated him sometimes, without the rest of the rambunctious student council, the room was depressing.

Yuki had barely moved, however, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Yuki?"

He turned around fully, engaging the girl's gaze. "Machi? You're here late."

Per usual, Machi's monotone voice and static expression never wavered. "A girl asked me to get something for the gardening club."

"Oh. That's right…the president of that club gave me some bulbs for safekeeping this morning. There was no other room, I guess. Can you give me a second?"

It was a useless question, and Machi's silence seemed to state that fact. Admittedly feeling awkward, Yuki fumbled into the nearby closet, pulling out the bag.

Meanwhile, Machi looked outside at the freshly fallen eaves of snow. "They were planning on planting outside. Tomorrow."

"Really?" By this point, Yuki had the bag out. Chuckling, he crossed the distance and held it out to her. "I wonder how that's going to work."

Machi nodded, opening her mouth (about to say something). She stepped forward.

Neither of them saw the broom.

Before Yuki could react, her leg slammed into it, her body automatically tilting forward.

If he had honestly wanted to, he could have turned away in time. He could have let her hit the hard floor. She probably would have gained a sore bruise and a small-sized cut, but his secret would have remained satisfyingly safe. He could have…

…but he didn't. Yuki stood rooted into place, and, like a complete dumb-ass (in his humble opinion), he even held out his arms to catch her. Her fingers tore at the bag for support, but only managed in ripping it open, spilling out the contents. Seeds scattered, all across the floor and the desks and around them.


Groaning, Machi fought to come back to her senses. She couldn't believe she'd just done that. Still, the fall could have been worse – much worse. She'd fallen against something, or somebody – Yuki? – and then it was weird, it was like that surface had just given way, forcing her roughly onto her knees. Not really understanding, Machi opened her eyes.

They instantly widened even further, and she was forced to a fight a gasp back into her throat. Darting up, she grabbed onto a nearby desk.

"I…I turned Yuki into a rat!"

"Machi…" began rat-Yuki.

"I-I – I actually did it. Like, if you have cooties, or if – I turned him into –"

"No, Machi!" cried rat-Yuki empathetically. "You didn't! Well, actually, you did, but –"

Machi wasn't in the mood to listen to a talking rat, especially a talking rat that had, just a few minutes ago, formerly been the President of her class. Moaning, she mumbled over and over: "I can't believe I…I can't believe…" before finally fleeing the room.

Sighing, rat-Yuki began the slow process of collecting his clothes.


Authoresses' Note: Whee! Not as fun/funny a chapter as previous ones, but that's probably because Akito wasn't figured very prominently, and Shigure wasn't in there at all. This chapter was basically just fluff. And what will Machi do! Honestly, probably not much in the couple more immediate chapters, but later on...